JACKSONVILLE, Ill. -- Ripon College women's basketball delivered a dominant performance on Saturday afternoon, earning an 84-54 Midwest Conference road victory over Illinois College inside Sherman Gymnasium.
The Red Hawks set the tone early, using balanced scoring and defensive pressure to build a 14-10 lead after the opening quarter. Ripon began to separate in the second quarter, outscoring Illinois College 22-16 behind strong play in the paint and steady free-throw shooting to take a 36-26 advantage into halftime.
Ripon came out of the break with its most complete stretch of the game, shooting over 55 percent in the third quarter while holding Illinois College to 16 points. The Red Hawks poured in 28 points in the period, extending their lead to 64-42 and firmly seizing control of the contest. Ripon continued to execute on both ends in the fourth quarter, closing out the game with composure to secure the 30-point win.
Junior
Sophie Schlieve (Antigo, Wis., Antigo HS) led the Red Hawks with 18 points and eight rebounds, attacking inside and drawing fouls throughout the afternoon. Junior
Laney Havlovitz (Wild Rose, Wis., Wild Rose HS) added 14 points while also contributing five rebounds and three assists, while senior
Natalie Rauwolf (Madison, Wis., Madison Memorial HS) chipped in 13 points and four rebounds, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc.
Ripon's depth was on full display, as the bench accounted for 27 points. The Red Hawks dominated in the paint, scoring 46 points inside, and capitalized on turnovers with 21 points off Illinois College miscues. Ripon also controlled the glass, pulling down 41 rebounds, and finished the game shooting 43.1 percent from the field while going 23-of-32 from the free-throw line.
Defensively, Ripon limited Illinois College's shooting efficiency and forced consistent pressure, helping generate 20 fast-break points and maintain momentum throughout the game.
With the win, Ripon improved to 13-2 overall and 6-0 in Midwest Conference play, continuing an impressive start to the season.
The Red Hawks will return home for their next contest on Tuesday, Jan 13, when they host Lawrence University at 7:30pm in a key conference matchup inside Weiske Gymnasium.
